Senior Evaluation and Research Scientist

Department

AI Mansueto Institute Administration

About the Department

Successful cities are key to successful societies. Throughout history, cities have represented the vibrancy and ingenuity of humanity by uniting diverse populations and fostering innovation, ultimately enabling societies to flourish. At the Mansueto Institute, we are building on the proud tradition of urban scholarship at the University of Chicago, bringing together ideas and groups to advance research, convene events, and offer opportunities to students, faculty, and others:

Seed Innovative Research - we identify and support the best ideas when they are poised to have an impact, aiming to produce innovative solutions. That’s why we work with partners throughout the University of Chicago to discover promising research across disciplines and provide the support needed to launch these ideas and make a true difference in people’s lives.

Foster Diverse Approaches - our work takes a variety of forms. This includes developing research and initiatives with partners across UChicago and beyond; outreach and collaboration to identify and advance the needs of community; analyzing and presenting data so it makes a meaningful impact on policy questions; bringing together a variety of stakeholders for events on critical issues, from affordable housing to the impact of climate change on cities; training University of Chicago students to better serve and lead the cities of the future through a variety of fellowship and research opportunities; and communicating our work to media, communities, policymakers, and the general public.

Create Partnerships - we work with various schools, departments, centers, institutes, and other units across campus and outside of the University to leverage our resources to turn urban scholarship into impact. At the University of Chicago, we aim to foster a vibrant urban ecosystem. Beyond our walls, we work with community partners, government, the private sector, and others on a variety of efforts to promote a successful urban future.

Job Summary

The Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation seeks a highly motivated part-time Senior Evaluation and Research Scientist to work closely with faculty, researchers, and graduate students at the University of Chicago. This role manages all aspects of planning and administration of the Urban Doctoral Fellows Program (UDF) and solicits and completes research and evaluation projects with other campus and non-campus partners.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with Mansueto Institute staff to select each UDF annual cohort.
• Develops and implements a curriculum plan for bi-monthly UDF meetings each academic year, including writing workshop meetings and professionalization sessions.
• Schedules and coordinates sessions that integrate previous years’ UDF cohorts to enhance learning and continuity.
• Creates and manages a process for Fellows to receive ongoing feedback on their work throughout the year.
• Provides individual advising for Fellows through office hours or other designated mechanisms.
• Attends staff meetings and provides regular updates on UDF programming and activities.
• Facilitates end-of-year evaluations of the UDF to assess program effectiveness and areas for improvement.
• Connects Fellows to relevant resources and support at the University of Chicago.
• Oversees logistics for UDF sessions, including arranging guest speakers, reserving rooms, ordering lunch, and managing project expenses with timely receipts.
• Assists the Executive Director of the Mansueto Institute with strategic planning efforts related to the UDF and the broader mission of the Mansueto Institute.
• Leads and executes program evaluation and research activities, including data collection, analysis, and reporting, to support effective program assessment and improvement. Collaborates with other campus units and external research partners, ensuring that all research activities comply with institutional, state, and federal regulations, policies, procedures, and mandates.
• Provides expertise to researchers on compliance of research activities with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives and mandates.
• Provides expertise to researchers and research support staff. Oversees activities related to data collection and analysis.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications